


here we go again

by auficial



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, and I'm not into slashing him with Take-chan..., because I really like Ukai, but I'm sure something might change that, but gen Haikyuu fics are fun, implied interest that might develop into a straight couple ho ho ho guess who, so here's a fic from his perspective
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 02:53:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2175423
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auficial/pseuds/auficial
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you had asked Ukai Keishin about coming back to Karasuno back when he graduated high school, he would have said, "No way in hell." It's funny how things turned out.</p>
<p></p><blockquote>
  <p>At least, that was his life until Karasuno volleyball spiked right into his life once more and he received the hit squarely, letting the ball fly and the game continue.</p>
</blockquote>
            </blockquote>





	here we go again

Ukai Keishin never ever imagined that he would ever be back in his old high school, this time as a volleyball coach. It's been years since he graduated and even longer still that he remembers being a wet behind the ears teenager. Teaching others was something he never put much thought about, although his grandfather did drag him to a lot of sessions. Originally, he was hesitant to even see the players because he knew that once he got into something, he fell  _hard_. Eventually he gave in because of the teacher advisor's efforts and never looked back ever since. The team had come far from since they first started and he could not help that swell of pride in his chest.

Lately, though, he had been a little depressed by the fact that Sawamura Daichi's words had more weight than his.

Perhaps it's supposed to be expected because he was their captain and their high school comrade but Ukai felt very much like he was being upstaged by a high school brat. They were currently having a practice match among themselves and he watched them, observing and noting things to improve on. Looking at Sawamura's wide back, he felt a little ticked off and disgruntled. Of course, he felt incredibly petty as well, and eventually turned his eyes away, just in time to see Hinata Shoyo receive the ball with his face  _again_.

He burst into laughter, listening to the angry (Kageyama Tobio) and concerned shouting that followed. "They're a riot," he chortled to Takeda Ittetsu who smiled brightly in return and agreed. Speaking of those that came far, Ukai eyed Takeda, this fellow was another one. He had evolved much from the completely ignorant teacher that just had "newbie" all over him. Granted, he still wasn't too good with speeches or anything but what he had was enough, Ukai felt. In his book, any teacher that could get along well with students is a good teacher. Seeing how a lot of them called him Take-chan and seemed genuinely happy when he was around, there was no doubt he was well liked.

Soon enough, the match ended and so did training.

As Ukai walked home, he thought about things. The fact his parents seemed really eager for him to get married made him a bit shocked because he was still young. There was still lots of time, especially for something like romance. It wasn't as if girlfriends grew on trees, anyway, he would need luck and opportunity to start going out with someone. Recently though, he felt  _something_  for one of the customers that frequented the foothill store. Another customer called her "Saeko" and he liked that she looked really badass. There was nothing to that except that there's a small part of him that looked forward to her visits. Maybe he'll attempt to talk to her one day.

The sky was dark blue, dotted with little stars. Exhaling the smoke in his lungs, he watched the small trail float up into the air and dissipate into nothing.

Going back to Karasuno was something like taking a step back into time. Everything had changed but yet nothing changed at all. There was a fresh coat of paint over the school buildings, the gate was recently changed, new equipment and other things that were updated and renewed. Yet, when he sneaked into a classroom that one time, the sight was familiar and the smell of wood was so nostalgic to him. It was almost as if he could feel his high school self again, young and excited once more, hoping for a chance to play as a member. He wasn't often one for sentiment but seeing Sugawara Koushi in the position that he was, it made his heart ache.

He would not have been as brave as Sugawara. If there was any chance for him to be setter, he would take it without a second thought because above all, he wanted to play volleyball. He wanted to hear the smack of the ball, the shouts of his team mate and the cheers as a ball that he tossed scored a point. Yet, there was someone better and more suited than he was. So, there was no debate on who was chosen, unlike between Kageyama and Sugawara, who had very different styles of being a setter.

For a very brief moment, he wondered what it'll be like to be a genius setter like Kageyama.

Then, he remembered he was Ukai Keishin and happy to be. There was no point thinking about things that couldn't be and he had his own body, his own talents, his own skills and for that, he was glad. After all, there was so many things to be thankful about even just being Ukai Keishin. Above all, he was grateful that he was born healthy and able to play volleyball. That much was already enough. He turned and looked back at the school building, already tiny in the distance. His high school years were some of the best years of his life thus far. Adulthood was mediocre compared to the excitement and sheer exhilaration of youth. Each day was a monotony that bled into each other and the only thing he really looked forward to were weekly volleyball association meetups. Well, that and the occasional drinking, especially when a friend gets his hand on good sake.

At least, that was his life until Karasuno volleyball spiked right into his life once more and he received the hit squarely, letting the ball fly and the game continue.

Toss that in along with Nekoma and those annoying coaches and he was sold. Thinking back on it, he spared a small smile at how easily he was suckered back into the allure of high school volleyball. All the passion from the players while they were all idiots. It was enough to make a grown man laugh but make the same grown man yell from the bench in support of them. Guess he's _that_ grown man now.

When he was a teenager and the future seemed like such a hauntingly vast and blank entity, he didn't know anything about the adult he will eventually become. He couldn't have imagined himself as anything beyond the bald, easily rifled teenager. It's funny how things turned out because somehow, along the way, he became a mostly respectable adult with a stable income, a pretty exciting life (life was always interesting with volleyball idiots) and good company.

And that's enough.

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Written because I really like Ukai Keishin. 
> 
> 2\. Shout out to:  
> *SPOILER?* The recent chapters where Ukai says something, then Daichi says something and Ukai's like "tch, this brat", HAHAHA.  
> Also to the first op where Ukai looked so cool that I decided I will read the manga to get to know who he was- I am being completely honest.
> 
> 3\. For the longest time, I thought his name was Ukai Kenshin. (Like Rurouni Kenshin?! I only found out really recently that it's Keishin and I was so embarrassed for the longest time. LIKE HOW COULD I GET IT WRONG AND NOT EVEN NOTICE EVEN THOUGH IT'S BEEN MONTHS SINCE I READ THE WHOLE SERIES AND WATCHED LIKE 10 OVER EPISODES?!)
> 
> 4\. I guess I wanted something from Ukai's perspective because you don't really know how he feels beyond techniques and others?
> 
> 5\. Besides, I'm pretty sure most people know what it's like to go back to somewhere you used to go every day and marvel at the changes and the things that stayed the same. 
> 
> 6\. Have so many feels for Sugawara, so I extended that to Ukai too. 
> 
> 7\. It's hard not to imagine yourself naturally talented sometimes, in envy. 
> 
> 8\. All in all, this fic was actually really personal in the sense it's much inspired by my own life and that I have the same sentiments like the whole of that "Then, he remembered he was Ukai Keishin and happy to be" paragraph. 
> 
> 9\. I do enjoy the idea of Ukai and Saeko together, mostly because I really like them both.
> 
> 10\. The title's from Jame Blunt's 1973 and has nothing to do with the fic at all but I like the idea of Ukai sighing, "Here we go again".


End file.
